End plug for rod

ABSTRACT

A one-piece molded end plug for insertion in the end portion of an elongated window shade rod with the end plug being movable relative to the end of the rod between a number of preselected positions so as to adjust the effective length of the rod. In each of the positions, a portion of the plug positively abuts the end of the rod to prevent unintended further insertion of the plug into the rod. The portions of the plug abutting the end of the rod in the various positions are stops, all but the outermost of which are selectively movable or removable to allow the plug to be inserted further into the end portion of the rod. The two innermost stops are flexible protrusions which are molded integrally with the plug and which are movable between retracted positions in which they may telescope into the rod and extended or normal positions in which they abut the end of the rod. The next to the outermost stop is formed by a number of angularly spaced tabs which may be sliced away and removed from the plug.

United States Patent 3,195,618 7/1965 Anderson et al lnventors Joseph L. Nelson Freeport, "1.; James A. Anderson, Muskegon, Mich. Appl. No. 810,596 Filed Mar. 26, 1969 Patented June 1, 1971 Assignees Newell Mfg. Co.

' Freeport, Ill.

part interest to each; Breneman lnc. Cincinnati, Ohio part interest to each END PLUG FOR ROD 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 160/323 Int. Cl .L .;...A47h 1/022, E06b 9/20 Field of Search 160/323- 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,248,899 5/1966 Anderson 3,366,160 1/1968 Anderson ABSTRACT: A one-piece molded end plug for insertion in the end portion of an elongated window shade rod with the end plug being movable relative to the end of the rod between a number of preselected positions so as to adjust the effective length of the rod. In each of the positions, a portion of the plug positively abuts the end of the rod to prevent unintended further insertion of the plug into the rod. The portions of the plug abutting the end of the rod in the various positions are stops, all but the outermost of which are selectively movable or removable to allow the plug to be inserted further into the end portion of the rod. The two innermost stops are flexible protrusions which are molded integrally with the plug and which are movable between retracted positions in which they may telescope into the rod and extended or normal positions in which they abut the end of the rod. The next to the outermost stop is formed by a number of angularly spaced tabs which may be sliced away and removed from the plug.

PATENTED JUN Han 3,581,800

(\3 ddmes rJov Cyl'r-ro RMSYJ END PLUG FOR ROD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to end plugs which are used to adjust the effective length of a rod. More particularly, the invention relates to an end plug adapted to be telescoped into one end of a window shade rod. The plug is adjustable axially within the end portion of the rod to compensate for small errors in the length of the roddue to inexact cutting of the rod or to compensate for small errors in the placement of supports for hanging the rod. One such plug is disclosed in the US. Pat. No. 3,186,475.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improved one-piece end plug for telescoping into the end portion of a rod and, so that the effective length of the rod can be varied, being adjustable within the end portion between a number of preselected positions in which a portion of the plug always abuts the end of the rod to stabilize the plug in each position.

A more detailed object is to establish at least one of the preselected positions by the use of a flexible protrusion which normally extends outwardly from the body of the end plug and abuttingly engages the end of the rod when the plug is telescoped into the end portion of the rod. The protrusion can be selectively retracted. into the body of the plug and telescoped into the end portion of the rod to allow the plug to be inserted further into the end portion thereby to reduce the effective length of the rod. When the protrusion is in its retracted position and is inserted into the rod, it is biased into frictional engagement with the inside surface of the rod thereby to resist movement of the plug relative to the rod.

The invention also resides in the novel one-piece construction of the end plug, in the ability of the plug to be set in four definite, and preselected positions, and in the ease with which the plug may beplaced in the positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new and improved end plug embodying the novel features of the present invention, the plug being shown telescoped into the end portion of a window shade rod.

FIG. 2 isa side view of the end plug telescoped to an intermediate preselected position in the end portion of the rod, portions of the rod being broken away for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the right end of the plug shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the end plug removed from the rod.

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the end plug being shown at a second intermediate preselected position.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the end plug being shown at its outermost preselected position and with portions of the plug being broken away for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 9 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but. with the end plug being shown at its innermost preselected position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in a cylindrical end plug 10 (FIG. 5) which is adapted for insertion into the end portion 11 of a tubular window shade rod 12 (FIG. 1) to mount the latter rotatably on a support bracket (not shown). In the shape of an elongated tube, the shade rod is normally manufactured in stock lengths and is cut at a later time to the proper length for a particular users need. Because the rod may not have been cut to the exact length needed or because the support brackets used to hang the rod may not have been properly spaced, small adjustments in the effective length of the rod may have to be made so that the rod will fit properly between the support brackets. To make these adjustments, the end plug 10 is telescoped into the end portion 11 to a normal or initial position (FIG. 2) and then can be moved inwardly or outwardly from the initial position to effectively shorten or lengthen the rod 12. I

In its primary aspect, the present invention contemplates a novel one-piece end plug 10 which may be adjusted to various preselected positions relative to the rod 12 and which, at the same time, will positively abut the end 13 (FIG. 2) of the rod in every preselected position so as to be prevented from unintended inward movement from any such position. To these ends, a series of stops 14, l5, l6 and 17 (FIG. 5) extend radially from the surface of'the plug' and are spaced axially along an outer end portion 18 of the plug beginning at the latters outer end. While the outermost stop I4 is fixed, the two inner stops 16 and 17 may be moved from extended positions in which they can abut the end of the rod to retracted positions in which the stops may telescope into the end of the rod thus allowing the plug to be inserted further into the end portion and beyond the locations of the stops l6 and 17. The stop 15 can be removed to allow the plug to be inserted still further into the end portion and beyond the location of stop 15. With this arrangement, the plug may be telescoped into the end portion 11 of the rod to an initial position in which a stop abuts the rod. If it then is necessary to adjust the effective length of the rod, the plug may be moved inwardly or outwardly from the initial position and to different preselected positions in which a different one of the stops abuts the end of the rod.

In this instance, the endplug 10 is molded of plastic such as Delrin and is formed by a hollow, generally cylindrical shank 19 (FIG. 5) and by a generally circular end plate 20 covering the outer end of the shank (the left end in FIG. 5). The end plate is greater in diameter than the shank, and the portion of the end plate that extends radially beyond the shank forms an abutment or shoulder which acts as the outermost stop 14. A gudgeon pin 21 (FIG. 1) molded integrally with the plug projects outwardly from the center of the end plate and is used to mount the shade rod 12 for rotation in one of the support brackets.

Integral with and extending inwardly from the inner face 22 of the shoulder 14 are four narrow, generally rectangular tabs 23 (FIG. 5) which are integral with, are spaced angularly around, and extend radially from the periphery of the shank I9. The inner ends (FIG. 5) of the tabs constitute the stop 15 and engage the end of the rod when the end plug is telescoped into the end portion II to the initial position (FIG. 2). To insert the plug further into the end portion when the effective length of the rod 12 needs to be shortened, the tabs are cut off and the plug is further inserted until the shoulder 14 directly abuts the end 13 of the rod. Because the tabs are angularly spaced and are narrowrectangular pieces joined to the plug on only two sides, removal of each tab is a very simple operation which can be done quickly, easily, and accurately with two passes of a sharp blade, one pass to separate the tab from the inner face 22 of the shoulder 14 and one pass to separate the tab from the periphery of the shank 19.

So that the end plug 10 can be telescoped into the end portion 11 of the shade rod 12 to the initial position (FIG. 2) and then adjusted outwardly to effectively lengthen the rod, the stops I6 and Hate positioned inwardly of the tabs 23 on the shank I9 and are constructed to be retractable into the shank. The retractable stops in their normal relaxed and extended positions project radially from the periphery of the shank but each can be retracted into the shank to allow the plug to be insorted into the end portion to such an extent that the respective stops are telescoped within the end portion, and each will remain retracted as long as it remains within the end portion. When the plug is adjusted outwardly, each retractable stop, due to its inherent resiliency, will spring back to its extended position.

Each retractable stop 16, I7 is formed by two angularly spaced fingers 24 and 25 (FIG. 4). Each finger is integrally hinged at one of its ends 26 to the shank 19, and the hinged ends 26 are diametrically opposed to one another. As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the fingers of both retractable stops 16 and 17 on a given side of the shank 19 are connected to the shank at the edge of a single rectangular hole 27 formed through the shank, and the fingers extend across the hole. The top surface of each finger is formed as a curve of increasing radius as that finger extends outwardly from its connection to the shank so that the free end 28 (FIG. 4) of each finger in its relaxed position extends radially beyond the surface of the shank to the same extent as the shoulder 14. To move one of the retractable stops to its retracted position (FIG. 3), the fingers 25 and 26 of that stop are pressed into the holes 27 on either side of the shank 19 until no portion of the fingers extend radially beyond the peripheral surface of the shank. When a given retractable stop is retracted, the inherent resiliency of the material in the fingers biases the fingers toward their relaxed positions and, when the stop is inserted into the end portion, the fingers are urged into pressing engagement with the inside surface of the end portion thus resisting relative movement between the rod 12 and the end plug 10.

To telescope the end plug 10 into the end portion 11 until the plug reaches its initial position (FIG. 2), it is necessary to move the retractable stops 16 and 17 to their retracted positions. To bring about this retraction, the end plug is inserted into the end portion until the first or innermost stop 17 contacts the end 13 of the rod as shown in FIG. 8. At this point, additional pressure is applied to the end of the plug, and such pressure causes the free ends 28 of the fingers 24 and 25 of the stop 17 to bend toward the end plate 20 and causes the connected ends 26 of the fingers to slide partially into the end portion 11. While continuing the endwise pressure, the plug is turned clockwise (FIG. 5) in a manner such that the connected ends of the fingers lead the free ends in revolving. Since the connected end of each finger has been forced partially into the end portion 11, continued revolving of the plug 10 causes the fingers to be progressively depressed by the rod 12 with a camming action until all of each finger passes into the end portion. This same procedure is followed with the other retractable stop 16 to retract and telescope the latter into the rod.

Once the end plug 10 is in its initial position (FIG. 2), the effective length of the rod 12 may be shorted by cutting off the tabs 23 and inserting the end plug 10 further into the end portion 11 until the end 13 of the rod abuts the shoulder 14 (see FIG. 10). The rod may be effectively lengthened by pulling the plug out until the retractable stop 16 springs back to its relaxed position thus giving an intermediate position in which the fingers 24 and 25 of the retractable stop 16 abut the end of the rod (see FIG. 7). If still a greater effective length is required, the plug may be pulled further out until the fingers 24 and 25 of the innermost retractable stop 17 spring to their relaxed positions and abut the end of the rod as shown in FIG. 8.

To help hold the end plug 10 in the end portion 11 when the innermost stop 17 abuts the end 13 of the rod 12, the inner end portion 29 (FIG. 5) of the shank is flared slightly from a point just inwardly of the innermost stop 17 to the extreme inner end of the shank so that the cross section of the shank is the greatest at the inner end. The inner end portion 29 of the shank I9 is split by diametrically opposed slots 30 (FIG. 5) into an upper half31 and a lower half32. This allows the inner end portion to be compressed radially to approximately the same cross section as the outer end portion 18 which is of uniform cylindrical cross section throughout its length. When the end plug 10 is telescoped into the end portion of the rod, the inherent resiliency of the material of the plug biases the upper and lower halves apart causing them to press against the inner surface of the end portion thereby to resist relative movement between the plug and the rod.

It is apparent that with the above arrangement, a novel end plug 10 of one-piece construction is provided which can be used in a simple manner to adjust the effective length ofa window shade rod 12. With this arrangement, movement of the plug to preselected positions from an initial preselected position can be made to either lengthen or shorten the effective length of the rod. In each preselected position, a stop on the end plug positively abuts the end 13 of the rod to secure the plug against unintended movement further into the end portion 11.

We claim:

1. An end plug of resiliently yieldable material adapted for telescoping insertion into the end portion ofa tubular rod, said plug being movable inwardly and outwardly of the end portion between inner, outer and intermediate preselected positions whereby the combined length of the rod and the plug may be adjusted, said plug comprising a shank sized for insertion into the end portion, a shoulder at one end of said shank adapted to abut the end of the rod when the plug is inserted into the end portion to the inner position, at least one tab on said shank inwardly of said shoulder and adapted to engage the end of the rod when the plug is inserted into the rod to an intermediate position, said tab being removable from the plug so that, after removal of the tab, the plug may be further inserted to said inner position, at least one retractable stop on said shank for abutting against the end of the rod and located inwardly of the tab to establish the outer preselected position of the plug whereby the latter may be inserted into the end portion until said stop engages the end of the rod, said stop comprising at least one flexible protrusion formed on said shank and selectively retractable into the shank whereby the protrusion may be telescoped into the end portion to enable further insertion of the plug into the end portion from said outer position, said protrusion being biased toward its nonretracted position whereby, when the protrusion is in its retracted position and is telescoped into the rod, said protrusion is biased against the inside of the end portion of the rod to resist movement of the plug relative to the end portion.

2. The end plug of claim I in which said retractable stop is two protrusions in the form of fingers each with one end integrally hinged to said shank, the hinges of said fingers being spaced around the periphery of the shank, the free ends of said fingers extending radially beyond the periphery of the shank in their nonretracted positions whereby the fingers may abut the end of the rod.

3. The end plug of claim 2 in which said shank is generally cylindrical and hollow and is formed with a hole at the location of each said finger, each said finger being hinged to said shank at one edge of its respective hole, and the free end of each finger extending across its respective hole whereby each finger may be retracted into said shank by depressing each finger about its hinge to move the finger into its respective hole until no portion of the finger extends radially beyond the periphery of said shank.

4. The end plug of claim 1 in which said shank comprises an outer end portion supporting said shoulder, said tab, and said stop, said outer end portion being generally cylindrical with a generally constant cross section throughout its length, an inner portion extending from the inner end of said shank to a point just short of the stop, the cross section of said inner end portion increasing from said point to the inner end of the shank, slot means in said inner end portion dividing the inner end portion into halves so that the halves may be pushed together to decrease the effective cross section of the inner end portion, and said halves being biased apart by the resiliency of the material of the plug whereby, when the end plug is telescoped into the end portion of the rod, the halves of the inner end portion will be biased against the inside surface of the end portion thereby resisting movement of the end plug relative to the rod.

5. The method ofinserting a generally round end plug into a tubular rod, said plug having a shank with a head end, an inner end, and a resiliently yieldable tab having an inner end merging with the outer surface of said shank and an outer free end spaced radially outwardly of said surface, said tab being between the ends of said plug, said method comprising the steps of l. inserting the inner end portion of the plug into the end portion of the rod until the tab contacts the end of the rod,

2. simultaneously rotating the plug and exerting inwardly directed pressure against the head end of the plug whereby the tab is deflected laterally and then cammed inwardly until it enters the interior of the rod and the plug is inserted further into the rod.

6. A one-piece end plug of resiliently yieldable material adapted for insertion into the end of a rod and comprising an elongated shank of generally circular cross section, a shoulder on said shank at one end thereof and extending radially beyond the surface of said shank, a first retractable stop integral with and hinged to said shank and located between the shoulder and the other end of the shank, said stop having an inner end merging with the outer surface of said shank and an outer free end spaced radially outwardly of the outer surface of the shank and said stop being resiliently movable between an extended position in which said free end ofthe stop extends radially beyond the surface of the shank and a retracted position in which said free end is substantially slush with the periphery of the shank, a second and similar retractable stop hinged to said shank and spaced axially from said first stop, and a series of angularly spaced tabs formed integrally with and projecting radially from said shank and located between said shoulder and said stops.

7. A one-piece end plug of resiliently yieldable material adapted for insertion into the end of a rod and comprising an elongated shank of generally circular cross section, a shoulder on said shank at one end thereof and extending radially beyond the surface of said shank, and at least one retractable stop integral with and hinged to said shank and located between the shoulder and the other end of the shank, said stop having an inner end merging with the outer surface of said shank and an outer free end spaced radially outwardly of the outer surface of the shank and said stop being resiliently movable between an extended position in which said free end of the stop extends radially beyond the surface of the shank and a retracted position in which said free end is substantially flush with the periphery of the shank, said shank being hollow and closed at said one end and comprising an outer end portion beginning at said one end and extending to a point just beyond said stop, said outer end portion being of uniform circular cross section, an inner end portion extending from said point to the other end of the shank, said inner end portion increasing in circular cross section from said point to said other end, slots in said inner end portion dividing the inner end portion into halves of semicircular cross section whereby the halves may be pressed together to decrease the effective cross section of the inner end portion, and said halves being biased away from one another by virtue of the resiliency of said material. 

1. An end plug of resiliently yieldable material adapted for telescoping insertion into the end portion of a tubular rod, said plug being movable inwardly and outwardly of the end portion between inner, outer and intermediate preselected positions whereby the combined length of the rod and the plug may be adjusted, said plug comprising a shank sized for insertion into the end portion, a shoulder at one end of said shank adapted to abut the end of the rod when the plug is inserted into the end portion to the inner position, at least one tab on said shank inwardly of said shoulder and adapted to engage the end of the rod when the plug is inserted into the rod to an intermediate position, said tab being removable from the plug so that, after removal of the tab, the plug may be further inserted to said inner position, at least one retractable stop on said shank for abutting against the end of the rod and located inwardly of the tab to establish the outer preselected position of the plug whereby the latter may be inserted into the end portion until said stop engages the end of the rod, said stop comprising at least one flexible protrusion formed on said shank and selectively retractable into the shank whereby the protrusion may be telescoped into the end portiOn to enable further insertion of the plug into the end portion from said outer position, said protrusion being biased toward its nonretracted position whereby, when the protrusion is in its retracted position and is telescoped into the rod, said protrusion is biased against the inside of the end portion of the rod to resist movement of the plug relative to the end portion.
 2. The end plug of claim 1 in which said retractable stop is two protrusions in the form of fingers each with one end integrally hinged to said shank, the hinges of said fingers being spaced around the periphery of the shank, the free ends of said fingers extending radially beyond the periphery of the shank in their nonretracted positions whereby the fingers may abut the end of the rod.
 2. simultaneously rotating the plug and exerting inwardly directed pressure against the head end of the plug whereby the tab is deflected laterally and then cammed inwardly until it enters the interior of the rod and the plug is inserted further into the rod.
 3. The end plug of claim 2 in which said shank is generally cylindrical and hollow and is formed with a hole at the location of each said finger, each said finger being hinged to said shank at one edge of its respective hole, and the free end of each finger extending across its respective hole whereby each finger may be retracted into said shank by depressing each finger about its hinge to move the finger into its respective hole until no portion of the finger extends radially beyond the periphery of said shank.
 4. The end plug of claim 1 in which said shank comprises an outer end portion supporting said shoulder, said tab, and said stop, said outer end portion being generally cylindrical with a generally constant cross section throughout its length, an inner portion extending from the inner end of said shank to a point just short of the stop, the cross section of said inner end portion increasing from said point to the inner end of the shank, slot means in said inner end portion dividing the inner end portion into halves so that the halves may be pushed together to decrease the effective cross section of the inner end portion, and said halves being biased apart by the resiliency of the material of the plug whereby, when the end plug is telescoped into the end portion of the rod, the halves of the inner end portion will be biased against the inside surface of the end portion thereby resisting movement of the end plug relative to the rod.
 5. The method of inserting a generally round end plug into a tubular rod, said plug having a shank with a head end, an inner end, and a resiliently yieldable tab having an inner end merging with the outer surface of said shank and an outer free end spaced radially outwardly of said surface, said tab being between the ends of said plug, said method comprising the steps of
 6. A one-piece end plug of resiliently yieldable material adapted for insertion into the end of a rod and comprising an elongated shank of generally circular cross section, a shoulder on said shank at one end thereof and extending radially beyond the surface of said shank, a first retractable stop integral with and hinged to said shank and located between the shoulder and the other end of the shank, said stop having an inner end merging with the outer surface of said shank and an outer free end spaced radially outwardly of the outer surface of the shank and said stop being resiliently movable between an extended position in which said free end of the stop extends radially beyond the surface of the shank and a retracted position in which said free end is substantially slush with the periphery of the shank, a second and similar retractable stop hinged to said shank and spaced axially from said first stop, and a series of angularly spaced tabs formed integrally with and projecting radially from said shank anD located between said shoulder and said stops.
 7. A one-piece end plug of resiliently yieldable material adapted for insertion into the end of a rod and comprising an elongated shank of generally circular cross section, a shoulder on said shank at one end thereof and extending radially beyond the surface of said shank, and at least one retractable stop integral with and hinged to said shank and located between the shoulder and the other end of the shank, said stop having an inner end merging with the outer surface of said shank and an outer free end spaced radially outwardly of the outer surface of the shank and said stop being resiliently movable between an extended position in which said free end of the stop extends radially beyond the surface of the shank and a retracted position in which said free end is substantially flush with the periphery of the shank, said shank being hollow and closed at said one end and comprising an outer end portion beginning at said one end and extending to a point just beyond said stop, said outer end portion being of uniform circular cross section, an inner end portion extending from said point to the other end of the shank, said inner end portion increasing in circular cross section from said point to said other end, slots in said inner end portion dividing the inner end portion into halves of semicircular cross section whereby the halves may be pressed together to decrease the effective cross section of the inner end portion, and said halves being biased away from one another by virtue of the resiliency of said material. 